‘Better off living in Warrington’ says survey

WARRINGTON households have seen an average overall increase in disposable income of £2,055 since the recession, one of the highest increases in the UK, according to a survey.

The report, issued by accountancy firm UHY Hacker Young, places Warrington as having had the eighth highest increase in the UK over the last five years.

It analysed the growth in average household disposable income, defined as ‘the money a household has left to spend or save after taxes and mortgages or rents’, in 40 UK towns and cities. Warrington was ranked eighth highest in the UK.

The average Warrington household now has a disposable income of £15,421 compared to a national average of £14,068 (and a national increase of £,1761 per household).

The findings chime with outcomes reported in the Centre for Cities Outlook report, released in January 2014, which found that Warrington had the 10th highest weekly earnings in the UK (at £507 per week) and the seventh highest employment rate in the UK.

Cllr Terry O’Neill, leader of Warrington Borough Council said: “It is very evident that our local economy is bucking the national trend which is great news. This puts us in a strong economic position as we move out of recession.

“It is vital that we continue to encourage further economic growth and work to ensure that all Warrington residents benefit and are able to find employment. 

“Our framework for growth, ‘Warrington Means Business’ is our strategy to achieve this. The more jobs that we can help to create in the private sector the better, as this helps to offset the savage cuts that are being imposed upon us by government.”   

In the survey Warrington was ranked in the top eight towns and cities alongside Aberdeen, Brighton, Belfast and Gillingham and Medway, Blackpool, Plymouth and London.